Method of making a pattern for an article of wearing apparel



Unite METHOD OF MAKING A PATTERN FOR AN ARTICLE OF WEARING APPAREL Philip Leslie, Leeds, and Frederick Joseph Rickard Batten, Morley, England, assignors to themselves and Ernest Walter Smith, Dewsbury, England I No Drawing. Application December 5, 1952,

Serial No. 324,394

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 5, 1951 1 Claim. (CI. 18-56) cles of attire, of forming a covering on a model so that the covering conforms to the shape of the model, said covering consisting of a stretchable fabric composed of cellulose acetate and containing a liquid substance exerting a solvent action on the material of said fabric; and evaporating said liquid substance from said fabric while the latter is in position on the model, whereby the fabric is rendered substantially incapable of stretching.

It is within the scope of the present invention to apply the solvent to the stretchable cellulose acetate fabric while the same is applied to a model, or to apply the solvent to the stretchable cellulose acetate fabric prior to placing the fabric in position on the model.

The liquid with which the fabric is treated may be a single solvent for the material of the fabric, or a mixture of such solvents, or a mixture of one or more solvents with one or more non-solvents. Suitable liquids are aliphatic and aromatic alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, if desired in admixture with hydrocarbons. The particular liquid used will, of course, depend on the material of the fabric used.

Thus, for example, for the preparation of a pattern for a dress, a knitted, woven or felted fabric of cellulose acetate is made up into a garment adapted to fit the model closely, for example from hips to neck. It may be sewn up the back, or more conveniently, provided with a sliding-clasp fastener. It is important that the garment should be a tight fit at all points; this is possible because the fabric is capable of stretching. If such a garment were to be removed, the stretched portions would relax and the garment would therefore not retain the true shape of the model. The garment is treated with a liquid, for example one of the liquids hereinafter described, either by removing the garment from the model, immersing it in the liquid and quickly reapplying it to the model, or by spraying or otherwise applying the liquid to the garment while it is in position on the model. The liquid is then allowed to evaporate. When the garment is quite dry, it is removed from the model and can be laid out and cut in such a way that a number of flat pieces is obtained which can be used as patterns for cutting parts of a dress.

While the fabric, before treatment with the liquid, is capable of stretching so as to conform closely to the model and is capable of relaxing upon removal therefrom, the fabric after treatment with the liquid and evaporation of the latter is no longer capable of stretching or relaxing and thus retains the exact shape of the model.

States aten Patented May 15, 1956 Example 1 Per cent Methanol 35.50 Isopropyl alcohol 35.43 Dimethyl ketone 28.55 Formaldehyde 0.25 Diacetone alcohol 0.15 Benzaldehyde 0.10

the balance being colour and perfume.

Example 2 Per cent Menthanol 33.43 Ethanol 15.50 Methyl ethyl ketone 35.20 Benzyl alcohol 10.55 Acetaldehyde 3.20 Benzaldehyde 2.07

the balance being colour and perfume.

Example 3 Per cent Ethanol 61.04 Isoamyl alcohol 7.27 Formaldehyde 1.15 Dimethylketone 25.50 Methyl isobutyl ketone 4.55 Diacetone alcohol 0.33 Acetophenone 0.12

the balance being colour and perfume.

Example 4 Per cent Methanol 5.50 Isopropyl alcohol 5.43 Dimethyl ketone 88.55 Formaldehyde M 0.25 Diacetone alcohol 0.15 Benzaldehyde 0.10

the balance being colour and perfume.

In a modification of the invention, the fabric may be caused to form a rigid cast on the model by wrapping a plurality of layers of fabric around the model and treating the fabric prior to or after application with a liquid having a good solvent action on the material of the fabric. By good solvent action we mean that cubic centimetres of the liquid will dissolve at least 300 milligrams of the fabric at room temperature. This is true of the liquid in Example 4 in respect of cellulose acetate. Thus if a bandage made from cellulose acetate is passed through a bath of the said liquid, wrapped around a limb and the liquid then allowed to evaporate, a rigid surgical cast is formed.

We claim:

A method of making a pattern for an article of wearing apparel comprising the steps of forming a covering on a model by applying to the model a single layer of a stretchable fabric in at least partly stretched condition and essentially composed of cellulose acetate so that the fabric conforms to the shape of the model; applying to the fabric a liquid substance exerting a solvent action on the material of said fabric, said liquid substance being composed in proportions by weight of 35.5% of methanol, 35.43% of isopropyl alcohol, 28.55% of dimethyl ketone, 0.25% of formaldehyde, 0.15% of diacetone alcohol and 0.1% of benzaldehyde, the balance being colour and perfume, the steps of forming said covering on a model, and of applying to said fabric a liquid substance being performed in any desired sequence; evaporating said liquid substance from said fabric while the latter is at least partly stretched and in position on the model; and removing said fabric from said model, Whereby the fabric is rendered substantially incapable of further stretching and retains the shape assumed While in position on the model.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Adler et a1. Jan. 13,

Whitehead May 5,

Anderson Jan. 19,

Kamowski Dec. 12,

Anderson Nov. 29,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 19,

Australia Aug. 23, 

